Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
St Francis de Sales extolled Mary’s solicitude towards Elizabeth: “Charity and humility are not perfect unless they pass from God to neighbour. It is not possible to love God whom we do not see, if we do not love the people we see. This part is fulfilled in the Visitation”.
Most Holy Trinity
Fides omnium christianorum in Trinitate consistit, “the faith of all Christians rests on the Trinity”, Saint Augustine taught about the greatest mystery that exists.
Saint Paul VI
“The whole life of Paul VI was full of [...] adoration and veneration of the infinite mystery of God”, John Paul II said at the Angelus of 3 August 1980. And he added: “This is exactly how we see his figure in the light of all that he has done and taught; and we see this ever more clearly as time distances us from his earthly life and his ministry”.
Saint Germain of Paris
According to the hagiography written by his friend Venantius Fortunatus, Saint Germain of Paris (c. 496-576) risked not being born because of his mother's attempt to abort him
Saint Augustine of Canterbury
He was prior of the monastery of St. Andrew al Celio in Rome, when Pope Gregory the Great entrusted him with the mission of re-evangelizing the ancient Britannia
Saint Philip Neri
“You wouldn’t want them to say that Philip is a saint, would you?” Saint Philip Neri (1515-1595) once replied to those who encouraged him to be a little more serious. Thanks to the mix of his proverbial humour and his charity, he won many souls over to God.
Saint Gregory VII
In that troubled period of the 11th century for Christianity, an extraordinary figure emerged: Saint Gregory VII (c. 1015-1085), whose name is linked to the “Gregorian Reform”. It was so called because Gregory was the greatest representative and supporter of the vast reformatory work already begun by his predecessors.
Mary Mother of the Church
Today we commemorate the Blessed Virgin Mary “Mother of the Church”, a title that was defined during the Second Vatican Council, but which is based on two thousand years of Christianity and the history of salvation.
Pentecost
Towards the end of Pentecost, on the fiftieth day after Easter, the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus descended abundantly on the disciples gathered in the Upper Room. Thus began the saving mission of the Church among the peoples of every language and nation.
Saint Rita of Cascia
For the faithful she is the “Saint of impossible cases”, as well as an admirable example in all the vocations she embodied in her life: wife, mother, widow, bride of Christ. For this reason Saint Rita of Cascia is one of the figures dearest to Christian piety.
Holy Mexican Martyrs
The 25 holy martyrs commemorated today lived during the historical context of the 20th century persecutions in Mexico, which resulted in the revolt of the “Cristeros” (1926-1929).
Saint Bernardine of Siena
“The name of Jesus is the glory of preachers, because the shining splendour of that name causes his word to be proclaimed and heard. And how do you think such an immense, sudden and dazzling light of faith came into the world, if not because Jesus was preached?” So said in one of his famous speeches Bernardine of Siena (8 September 1380 - 20 May 1444), the Franciscan saint and tireless preacher who propagated devotion to the Most Holy Name of Jesus.
